Pickup trucks are available in various makes and models. Most manufactures provide models which extend the cab of the pickup truck or which extend the cargo bed. As can be appreciated, pickup trucks which have the extended cargo bed are more costly to purchase. Therefore, some truck purchasers opt to purchase the cheaper model pickup truck and forego the oftentimes needed extra cargo bed length which would be provided by with the extended cargo bed model.
Regardless of the length of the cargo bed, truck owners oftentimes transport cargo in the cargo bed but would prefer to have a little more length in the cargo bed to accommodate the cargo. My tailgate extend-a-bed kit is an accessory for tailgates and has been designed to allow truck owners to extend the cargo bed of their pickup trucks in an inexpensive manner.
Several accessories have been patented which are aimed attachments for tailgates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,654, by Eilers et al., entitled "EXTENDABLE REAR GATE FOR VEHICLE CARGO BED" discloses a selectively extendable tailgate section for the cargo bed of a pick-up truck including a telescoping tailgate section having side walls and a bottom which are telescopically received within the fixed sides and bottom of the cargo bed. Rails support the expanded bed and are supported by a plurality of roller for easy movement of the tailgate section. The telescoping tailgate section carries the flip-down gate and the tail lights of the vehicle keeping these features in tact regardless of the expanded position of the tailgate section.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,771, to Taylor et al., entitled "MULTIPLE PURPOSE TRUCK TAILGATE APPARATUS" discloses a multiple purposes truck apparatus for pick-up trucks which comprises a first panel member and a structure for mounting the first panel member in a sliding manner to the bed of the truck. When the tailgate is opened, the first panel member can be extended therefrom. Further provided are a second panel member and a third panel member wherein the second panel member is coupled to a free end of the first panel member and the third panel member is coupled to a free end of the second panel member. In operation, the apparatus can serve as a loading ramp, a display/work table, an incline ramp, a ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,212, to Seifert, entitled "ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED TAILGATE OPERATOR" discloses a tailgate operator which lowers and raises the tailgate of a truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,225, to Melching et al., entitled "SYSTEM MOUNTABLE TO A TAILGATE OF A PICK-UP TRUCK TO IMPROVE THE UTILITY THEREOF" discloses a set of four light-weight planar plates successively hinged to one another with an end plate of the set of connected plates hinged to the inside surface of the tailgate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,378, to Sims, entitled "PICKUP TRUCK TAILGATE ACCESSORY" discloses an accessory for attachment to the tailgate of a pickup comprising a panel member of about the same width as the tailgate, and of a height at least about half that of the tailgate. The panel member is hingely coupled to the free end of the tailgate. The hinge coupling of the panel member allows the panel member to pivot between a first position parallel to the tailgate and a second position substantially perpendicular to the tailgate. The accessory serves as an extended stop for long lengths of cargo or as a protector for the top of the tailgate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,842, to Morton, entitled "TAIL GATE APPARATUS FOR PICK-UP TRUCKS" discloses a tailgate apparatus comprising a frame assembly adapted to be mounted around the preexisting bumper of a vehicle after removal of the conventional tail gate. The assembly provides for lifting and raising of the tail gate from a lowered position. The assembly allows the tail gate to be extended away from the rear end of the pick-up truck and lowered.
While each of the above accessory attachments for tailgates function as desired, none of them have a tailgate extend-a-bed kit which provides three vertically upright planar members which enclose the free edges of the tailgate to extend the cargo bed of a pick-up truck when the tailgate is horizontal; wherein one of the planar members has a height substantially the height of the tailgate and a width substantially the width of the tailgate; wherein the one planar member is slidably coupled in vertically upright channel members thereby the one planar member can be slidably removed to open the extended cargo bed; wherein the two other planar members having the same relative height as the tailgate are pivotally coupled to a respective vertically upright channel member such that a respective one of the two other planar members is pivotally aligned with a respective side edge of the tailgate and perpendicular to the one planar member; and wherein the pivotal couplings of the two other planar members allow the two other planar members to also pivot to a position substantially parallel to the one planar member.
As will be seen more fully below, the present invention is substantially different in structure, methodology and approach from that of the prior attachments for tailgates.